Ryanair Launches Major Pilot Training Programme in Central Europe

Ryanair recently announced a major new training partnership with Polish-based international flight school, Bartolini Air, to deliver a Ryanair/Bartolini Air Mentored Pilot Training Programme.
This partnership will ensure Ryanair continues to attract highly trained professional pilots to support its continued growth across Europe.
This new 18 months intensive training programme gives trainee pilots a structured path to achieve their pilot licence and reach a standard where they are ready to join the Ryanair Boeing 737 type-rating programme.
Trainee pilots on the programme will be trained by Bartolini Air instructors using Ryanair procedures as they take their first steps towards becoming Ryanair pilots. Over the next 4 years, more than 300 new pilots from across Europe will be recruited and trained by Bartolini Air in Lodz and Olsztyn-Mazury Airports.
Neal McMahon, Ryanair’s Director of Flight Operations, said:
“Ryanair is pleased to announce this training partnership with Bartolini Air, which has an impressive track record in training top-class pilots to the highest standards. This new training programme with Bartolini Air is Ryanair’s only mentored pilot programme in Central and Eastern Europe.
“Currently, Ryanair Group has 12 pilot bases across the region and 5 bases in Poland where it is the country’s leading operator. This partnership highlights our commitment to support, develop and recruit pilots from Central and Eastern Europe for current and future positions. With over a hundred of daily Ryanair flights into Poland, we expect students from across Europe to avail of Ryanair’s low fares and enrol in Bartolini Air’s Ryanair Mentored pilot training programme”.
Bartłomiej Walas, founder and president of Bartolini Air, said:
“Bartolini Air is one of the largest aviation training centres in Central Europe. Bartolini Air is training these future Ryanair pilots at our training bases at Lodz and Olsztyn-Mazury Airports. We’ve trained over 1500 pilots from 56 countries and many of them are already working at Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline group. Under the Ryanair Mentored Programme, our trainee pilots will be instructed by Bartolini’s instructors using Ryanair SOPS. Participants of the program will train on a fleet of modern single- and twin-engine piston planes, simulators and in a professional environment which will ready them for an exciting and fulfilling career with our partner airline, Ryanair. We look forward to working with Ryanair for many years to come.”
Captain Senan O’Shea, Ryanair’s Head of Crew Training, said:
“This new Ryanair – Bartolini Air programme will provide the airline with a steady pipeline of talented and professional pilots from around Europe to meet the needs of our growing network. Ryanair will hire up to 1,000 pilots per annum over the next 5 years and our pilots can look forward to unmatched opportunities flying with the world’s number one international airline. We have carefully chosen Bartolini Air as our cadet training partner in Poland due to their high standards in initial flying training and MCC training. We are very pleased to lend our operational expertise to Bartolini Air”.
Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of Lodz, said:
“I am very happy that future Ryanair pilots from around Europe will be coming to Łódź to undertake pilot training. Łódź is a great location to study, and the thousands of students who decide to choose Lodz universities annually prove it. We are a friendly city for young people who now – thanks to Bartolini Air – choose our city from they will begin their future career as a pilot. This partnership will contribute to the development of the aviation industry in Lodz, Poland, and across Europe.”